The final score of 3-1 may seem relatively close, but this year’s junior varsity championship between the Chaminade Red Devils and the Marquette Mustangs was one where a certain team always felt a step ahead of the other.
Late in the first period, this control was manifested into a lead. With 1:29 remaining, sophomore Hunter Ferguson found the back of the net to put the Devils ahead 1-0, and they never looked back.
Chaminade continued to limit the Mustangs’ chances and forced them to play from behind. The longer they were behind, the more the pressure grew. And with 7:39 left in the third period, sophomore Colton Fisher gave Chaminade its second goal.
Although Marquette was able to respond with a goal of its own, it was too little, too late. Chaminade remained in command, and with five seconds left, sophomore Grant Dunaway put the nail in the coffin, scoring on an open net.
The final score was 3-1. The members of the Chaminade junior varsity team were champions!
Behind it all was freshman goalie, Grayson Milne, who delivered a stellar performance, earning the tournament’s MVP award. The setting had the potential to overwhelm, but he stepped up, making some incredible sliding stops and preventing Marquette from gaining much momentum.
“I would say the thing that kept me the most calm and relaxed was the time in the locker room before the game,” Grayson said. “Laughing it up” with his teammates alleviated a lot of his nerves and helped him lock in once play began.
Leadership also played a role. Senior captain Joey Giardina anchored a team that stayed composed throughout the season, never losing its structure or the discipline that delivered its victory.
Joey emphasized the team’s collectedness, especially in the one moment of pressure late in the game. After Marquette cut their deficit down to a single goal, he admitted that the team was “definitely a little nervous,” but never lost confidence. He also pointed to the team’s growth over the season, noting that although they “lost some games [they] should’ve won,” the group ultimately came together perfectly in the playoffs, the championship reflecting the “culture and teamwork” they’d built.
One thing that stood out regarding this game was the student section. It was large by any standard, but for JV? It was massive. In the stands to cheer the boys on were members of the varsity team that would go on to defeat the De Smet Jesuit Spartans in its own championship game, finishing off a dominant year for Chaminade hockey.
The energy the section brought never faded: it was constant and coordinated. Students cycled through a number of chants and heckles that were exceedingly loud, and members of both teams heard them well.
“Let’s go Devils” echoed throughout the rink, and when tensions rose late in the game and an obscene gesture was directed towards Chaminade students, the crowd responded.
First, “Why so angry?” was chanted in unison.
Next, “‘Cause it’s over.”
As junior defenseman Austin Busch put it, “The student section was crazy. It was really nerve-racking going into that first shift because, as a JV player, you don’t expect [that many people to show up].” But as the game progressed, “it got easier because you kind of tune it out,” and the energy ultimately became an advantage. “It kept spirits up because it felt a lot more like we’re playing for our school and all the students there.”
Everyone knew what was coming next: it had been planned long before the final horn. And the moment it sounded, there was no hesitation—none whatsoever.
Students ran out of the bleachers and piled onto the ice, entering through a bench door that had been mysteriously opened. On the ice, players and fans merged into a single, chaotic, jumping mass. Gloves flew, and the riff of “Seven Nation Army” was screamed. This continued for quite a bit before rink employees threatened to call the Queeny Park Rangers (and maybe did—they were spotted outside along with police) and ordered students to exit.
Chaminade sporting events have no shortage of energy, school spirit, and atmosphere. But this one was special: it didn’t feel like a JV game at all. It felt bigger. There are varsity games that have nowhere near as much excitement, and it was the perfect way to cap off an amazing season by the greatest junior varsity hockey team ever assembled.
